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Rare WWI AEF 1917 France Metz Ordinance Artillery Marker Trench Map Relic

$ 319.44

Availability: 100 in stock
  • All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted

    Description

    *1917 dated AEF Ordinance Map of the France Metz area gridded for artillery firing coordinates*
    This map is in very good condition and was used by the British against the Germans to mark objective points and  guide artillery firing positions. The square grids on the map mark as a value of 1,000 yards with sub squares measuring at 500 yards in an A,B,C,D clockwise order. These squares with coordinate directions are explained in the bottom left of the map and would have been used extensively to fire on enemy positions.
    These maps are printed on cloth and many did not survive the length of the war due to the wet and muddy conditions of the trenches. This map is in very good condition with common signs of use and wear.
    Battle of Saint-Mihiel
    The
    Battle of Saint-Mihiel
    was a major
    World War I
    battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the
    American Expeditionary Forces
    (AEF) and 110,000
    French
    troops under the command of
    General
    John J. Pershing
    of the
    United States
    against
    German
    positions. The
    U.S. Army Air Service
    played a significant role in this action.
    This battle marked the first use of the terms
    "D-Day"
    and "
    H-Hour
    " by the Americans.
    The attack at the Saint-Mihiel
    salient
    was part of a plan by Pershing in which he hoped that the Americans would break through the German lines and capture the fortified city of
    Metz
    . It was the first and only offensive launched solely by the
    United States Army
    in World War I, and the attack caught the Germans in the process of retreating.
    [6]
    This meant that their artillery was out of place and the American attack, coming up against disorganized German forces, proved more successful than expected. The Saint-Mihiel attack established the stature of the U.S. Army in the eyes of the
    French
    and
    British
    forces, and again demonstrated the critical role of
    artillery during World War I
    and the
    difficulty of supplying such massive armies while they were on the move
    . The U.S. attack faltered as artillery and food supplies were left behind on the muddy roads.
    [7]
    The attack on Metz was not realized, as the Supreme Allied Commander
    Ferdinand Foch
    ordered the American troops to march towards
    Sedan
    and
    Mézières
    , which would lead to the
    Meuse-Argonne Offensive
    .